Harry Potter and the Sorceress of Shadow
by Anuwen
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione find themselves in their sixth year at Hogwarts, but something evil lurks around the school and it ain't Voldemort.....
1. Chapter 1

[pic]Harry Potter and the Sorceress of Shadow[pic]  
  
Hermione sat next to Harry and Ron on the Hogwarts Express; her cheeks were flushed from laughing, Ron and Harry exchanged confused glances "What is so funny? Did Draco fall on his face?" Hermione shook her head "No, I've just heard the most ridiculous story from Parvatti and Lavender. Though they just glared at me when I said it" Harry lent back, his arms folded behind his head, "Well? What was it?" Hermione took a deep breath before speaking "They said that our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is an evil sorceress more powerful than You Know Who" Ron stared startled "That is not funny, I mean, is it? Because look at our old professors, they didn't all turn up so innocent. And did you say she?" "Yes I did, what I'm saying is It can't be true because I've met her, she's really nice and knows a whole lot about magic and creatures, she's even listed for Animagus" Harry lent forward with interest "What does she transform into?" Hermione lifted her chin in triumph, "She can transform into a wolf" "Wicked!" Ron looked towards the approaching trolley laid with sweets "Ummm.. Anyone up for chocolate frogs?"  
  
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The Hogwarts Express stopped and all the pupils piled out, the year one's looking frightened and the rest fidgety and restless to get out of the cold. After a while the horseless carriages appeared and everyone ran to get the nearest carriage. "It's awfully cold here all of a sudden", Hermione blew on her hands to keep them warm. "Agreed, It's never this cold" Harry wiped his glasses on his shirt as they started to mist up, "It's like some one turned of the suns warmth and instead piled ice all over the world". "Yep, you said it Harry" Ron shivered under his thick coat and stared up at Hogwarts through the iced window of the carriage. "I hope our dormitories are warm and the Great Hall, don't want to be freezing while we're eating" Hermione sighed, "Is that all you think about, I would rather think about our upcoming exams, I heard they'd be heavy this year" Harry and Ron groaned and Hermione tutted them "Honestly you two are impossible" Harry grinned, "That's what we're for"  
  
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The heavily cloaked figure drifted up the stone steps towards Hogwarts, it's feet silently tapping against the cold floor. A hand traveled across the walls, nails scraped the stone. Delicate hair fell over the figures face as the doors of the Great Hall opened and the faces of the staff and pupils turned to face the entered.  
  
(More to come...) 


	2. Chapter 2

Dumbledore looked up from where he was sitting, a smile lit his face "Alas! Here is our new Defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Pravus", the students swivelled round to look at the hooded figure approaching the staff table and sitting down before taking off the cloak. A gasp ran around the hall, as the figure was revealed. Draco Malfoy sneered, "I don't believe this, they hire a woman to teach defence against the dark arts, pathetic, wait till my father hears of this." Yes it was so, Hera Pravus was a woman and her looks were not unfortunate, her hazel brown eyes looked good with her ebony hair, which was loosely placed around her shoulders. She wore an ankle length red dress with a black robe. She smiled at her 'audience' and her eyes travelled quickly over every student's face. "She's pretty scary for a professor", said Ron as her eyes travelled towards him, "You think she could be a vampire?" Hermione rolled her eyes, "Don't be daft, Dumbledore wouldn't let a vampire teach here, if he did she'd probably suck dry all the students that come to her class, Dumbledore wouldn't take that chance." "Well remember Lupin was a werewolf and he taught at the school" "Yes, but Snape made Lupin a potion to control the transformation" "Well maybe Snape has made her a potion too" "You are so stubborn" "We Weaslys are, you should know that by now" Harry laughed as his two friends argued but a chill down his spine silenced him, he looked around him and caught the new professor's eye but she quickly looked away, he frowned. "Harry is there something wrong?" Hermione looked intently at Harry "No it's nothing", He forced a smile not wanting to worry them on the first day of their sixth year.  
  
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Hera turned away when she caught Harry Potter looking in her direction, No need to get him suspicious of me now, while we still have a whole year, She felt Severus Snape's eyes boring into her and she winced, Better beware of this one too, after I heard what he found out with Quirrell, Hera glared at the table, Quirrell was weak but he is the better servant of the Dark Lord, she left him awhile ago but her evil spirit still burned deep inside. She took a deep breath before turning to speak to Professor McGonagall.  
  
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At the end of the feast the students filed up to go to their common rooms. The new prefect of Gryffindor, Deacon Appelkrat spoke the password to the fat lady portrait "Caradhas" and led everyone in; he gave the usual speech to the first years and ignored the rest. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat around the fireplace. Hermione looked extremely excited "So, what do you think of Professor Pravus?" "She's pretty for a Defense against the dark arts teacher but can she teach?" Ron asked "Of course she can teach, she wouldn't be here is she couldn't" Ron lifted up his hands in a surrendering pose, "Just checking" Hermione looked at Harry "You've been awfully quite this past hour, what's bothering you?" "Eh? Nothing really, I'm just tired" Hermione raised an eyebrow then just shrugged "Well then I advise you go to bed because we do have potions first thing in the morning" Ron groaned "I'd even have Hagrid in the morning instead of Snape" "When do we have Defense against the dark arts?" Harry looked lazily at the charts resting on the other end of the small table by the fireplace. Hermione sighed and reached for one "We have it after potions, that should be interesting."  
  
#~#~#~# As soon as Dumbledore left her office, Hera put aside the notes for the various classes she would teach the following day. She unraveled a silk cloth and pulled out a strangely carved dagger, the patterns on the handle were dark. She ran her finger down the tip of the dagger lightly then threw it. The dagger landed in the center of a five-pointed star.  
  
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"I cannot believe, only our first lesson and already Snape has taken off fifty points from Gryffindor" Ron groaned as he seated himself next to Harry in their Defense against the dark arts classroom. Harry nodded and glared at the wall "Well at least we never got detention, that's the last thing I feel like doing, polishing trophies" "I do not permit talking in my class unless I direct a question to you," The stern voice interrupted the small conversation Harry and Ron were having. They looked up into the dark eyes of their professor and grinned guiltily. She shook her head and slowly walked towards the desk at the front of the class. "This year Dumbledore has asked me to teach you all about the Banshee, now can anyone tell me what this creature is?" As usual Hermione's hand shot up into the air. Professor Pravus's eyes swept over her and she nodded almost acceptingly, though Harry could almost be sure that he saw a hint of annoyance. "A banshee is a spirit in the form of a woman who." "Thank you miss Granger" She smiled as she looked upon the disappointed face of Hermione Granger. "The banshee wails by the windows of a house in which the inmates are about to die" Since Gryffindor had potions and defense against the dark arts with Slytherin, Draco Malfoy spoke "According to my father when banshees wailed the people near them would turn into a banshee", he grinned looking too proud of himself. Professor Pravus looked terrifying as she glared at Draco "Mister Malfoy did I not say at the beginning of the lesson that you were to speak if I so happened as to ask a question?" Draco stared at her speechless for a moment "Yes bu." She interrupted "Then I advice you keep the trap in your face closed before I introduce you to my wand" The class suddenly sat up straight their faces looking over at the professor with new respect, more fearful than usual. She smirked "The banshee's wail sends a coldness over the victim which causes the organs to disfunction and the victim to die."... At the end of the lesson most of the girls were pale and shivering while most of the boys including Draco were unusually quiet. Professor Pravus watched them walk away with satisfaction before calling after them "Don't forget a four page essay on the banshee's wail"  
  
(And still more coming.) 


	3. Chapter 3

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked towards the wooden hut near the forbidden forest that belonged to Hagrid, they had just come out of Transfiguration, where they had started learning the basics of Animagi. As they neared the hut, Harry stopped dead in his tracks, Ron and Hermione followed suit. Professor Pravus was talking to Hagrid and Hagrid was listening, starry eyed and red. When he spoke, she laughed lightly before turning back towards the castle. Hagrid was still looking strangely in the direction of the professor as Harry, Ron and Hermione approached, they exchanged glances and Ron spoke first "What was that all about". Hagrid snapped back to reality and blushed deeply "Erm.. What ya doing down 'ere?" "We came to see you Hagrid if that's ok" Hermione smiled slyly "Of course that's ok I.." Harry interrupted "What did professor Pravus want?" Hagrid blushed even deeper "I. She was interested in the Forbidden Forest so I gave her a little tour" "You did what?" Ron gaped "Well she was quite safe with me an ol' fang 'ere besides she seems to know her danger" Hermione shook her head "Never mind Hagrid" He shrugged "All righ' you lot come inside for some tea"  
  
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Hera lowered the sixth year exams she was working on "You may enter", the door opened and Hermione stepped inside "Yes professor, you called me?" Hermione's eyes traveled around the room until they landed on the perched figure in the corner, she gasped, the creature was pitch black, his wingspan was large and his eyes had a evil look to them, his tail almost touched the floor and it glistened in the dull light of the room. Hera watched the girl and smiled in a satisfactory way "Enya is a Phoegle, part eagle and part phoenix, I found him in the heart of an ancient forest in Greece, he's a good replacement for an owl as he is stronger, faster and can fly great distances over a short period of time, and yes I did call you" she stood up and stroked the ebon head of the Phoegle "I wish for you to tell you fellow classmates that I shall give them a class test on the Banshee tomorrow to see how well they listen in class" Hermione nodded, her eyes still fixed on Enya. "Well what you standing around for, go and do what I asked" Hermione started and hurriedly left the room. Hera rolled her eyes and took out a piece of parchment and a quill.  
  
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"Tomorrow! That's not funny Hermione, you almost gave me a heart failure" Ron exhaled. Hermione sighed "I'm not joking, we DO have a class test on the banshee TOMORROW, by the way is Harry still at Quidditch practice?" Ron nodded "Yes, he should be back soon, why?" "Wait, I'll tell you when he's back" Twenty minutes later the Gryffindor Quidditch team entered the common room, brooms tucked underneath their arms and their faces flushed from the cold outside. Hermione gestured for Harry to join her and Ron by the fireplace. He sat down on the nearest couch; a huge grin was plastered on his face. "What you grinning about?" Ron asked, he was always keen for the latest news on quidditch, even if it was only at Hogwarts. Harry's grin widened "We're playing Slytherin on Thursday and if we beat them we'll only have to play Hufflepuff, beat them and then we win the house cup!" Ron whooped and Hermione smiled. As soon as Ron settled down he turned to Hermione "Well will you tell us now?" Harry lent foreword "Tell us what?" "Alright, well today I was called into professor Pravus's office and she had a Phoegle" "A what?" Harry and Ron asked together, both of them looking extremely puzzled. Hermione glared into space, out of irritation "A Pheogle is part eagle, part phoenix. Honestly if you too would get yourselves to read maybe you'd learn something" Ron shrugged "So, what's important about Pravus having a Phoeble" "Phoegle" Hermione corrected him "What's so important is that a Phoegle is believed to be extinct and no one has ever seen one for over a thousand years and isn't it a bit weird that she has one that she found in Greece?" This time it was Harry who shrugged "Well maybe no one has looked in Greece" Hermione shook her head "No, Greece has been one of the places that has been searched the most" "But still I don't see what's wrong with owning a Phoegle" "A Phoegle was used by sorcerers many years ago but not any sorcerer only the evil ones and because the face of the Phoegle is evil it is believed to be the bringer of death and destruction" Ron gulped "But then why would Professor Pravus own one if it was so evil?" Hermione shrugged "I'm not saying she's evil, I'm just saying it's weird, we can just watch her that's all"  
  
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Unfortunately the very first lesson in the morning was Divination, Harry and Ron's worst subject aside from Potions, thought Hermione was lucky as she quit in her third year. Professor Trelawney was weird and usually predicted Harry's doom in every lesson and today was no different. Her classroom had the usual musty and claustrophobic smell but in front of each desk stood a misty looking pool of water, many of the students reached out to touch it but retreated when they heard the voice of Trelawney "Don't touch the water for bad luck shall bestow on you for the rest of your life" The students sat down quietly "Today you shall look into the pool of foresight, if the smoke turns a silvery white you shall have a long and joyous life, if it however turns a deep maroon your life will be forfeited soon" Lavender and Parvati gasped and sat up straight, most of the eyes in the room turned to Harry and he and Ron were trying too hard not to laugh. Near the end of the lesson after several attempts Harry's smoke predictably turned maroon, as did Ron's while the rest of the class's turned silvery white. Professor Trelawney went through her usual dramatic stage that caused Harry and Ron to laugh even harder, she glared at them before dismissing the class. On their way back to class Ron turned to Harry "What do you think will happen to us this year?" Harry laughed before speaking "Who knows but we'd better think of something because we don't have 'long' to live"  
  
(more, more, more.) 


	4. Chapter 4

"Come 'ere Mudblood!" Marie Anderson, a first year from Hufflepuff scurried away from a group of Slytherin girls, her cheeks were scarlet from the icy air and her eyes puffy from crying. Charlotte Kiang, one of the Slytherins took a step in front of her, the others were still catching up. "Why you crying big Marie!" Her voice held no sympathy and her eyes were steel, "I said why you crying!" Marie pushed pass her, praying that they would just disappear. Charlotte grabbed her arm causing Marie to wince. "You know what I heard?" Marie said nothing and stared at the ground "I heard your mom say that she never wanted you, I mean who would, you're fat, ugly.." "LEAVE ME ALONE" Marie screamed at the startled Slytherin, she pulled out of Charlotte's grasp and ran towards the forbidden forest paying no heed to Dumbledore's warning. Charlotte laughed and ran after her. After a while she lost sight of Marie and slowed to walk, a sound from above caught her attention she looked up and to her amazement saw a peculiar big black bird, his tail almost touched the ground and his eyes held a mean look. She held its gaze and reached out to touch the glistening tail. A snarl brought her to a halt; she spun round to face the snapping jaws of a white wolf. The very next day Charlotte was found dead.  
  
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The news of Charlotte's death caused uproar in the school, Slytherins were blaming everyone on sight, first years were sticking to their prefects like glue and the teachers were in a foul mood. Hermione found Harry and Ron in the great hall 'studying'. She cleared her throat as she sat. Harry looked up "So did you find anything?" Hermione nodded, "Yes I did actually, there was a black feather in her hair" "Well how's is that important" Ron frowned "Remember when I told you about the pheogle in professor Pravus's office?" Harry and Ron nodded "Well I think she is involved" Ron coughed "Excuse me I thought you liked Professor Pravus. You're not just hating her because she stopped you in mid-sentence during her class are you?" "Of course not, it's just that she looks like one to get involved in a murder and also who do you know that owns a Pheogle?" "That's true but you said they are thought to be extinct" "RON STOP ARGUING WITH ME" Harry laughed "Ok you two enough, you're killing me" Ron and Hermione looked at Harry then at each other and stormed off in different directions. Harry shrugged at the other Gryffindors who had watched the whole scene; he then got up and headed towards the common room. Voices soon brought him to a stop, the one voice he recognized as Professor Pravus's, and the other he had never heard before, "M'lady, please it shan't happen again" "It had better not, Worm or you shall live up to your name" Harry bent his head slightly to see whom the Professor was talking too, he gasped silently. Professor Pravus held up a small man by the neck, he had a long nose and beady eyes, sweat was dripping down his forehead and tears threatened to spill. Hera continued "You have cost me time, now the teachers are searching everywhere including the forest, so practicing rituals is not an option" The man, Worm nodded a little too hard, causing his head to bump onto the stonewall. "M'lady, the girl ran in without my notice, I did not hear her enter, honestly" "That is a lie, I could hear her from the center of the forest, out of my animagus form" Worm trembled violently "You are useless Worm, I will send for another to do the job" "M'lady what are you going to do to me?" "I am going to make you true to your name" "No m'lady, I promise I'll do better, no" She smiled cruelly and drew out her wand, she whispered something which Harry could not here, Grey smoke began to form around the man, Worm, he screamed soundlessly and transformed slowly into a worm, Hera lowered her wand to face the creature, muttered something else and the worm was no longer. Harry who had watched the whole thing drew back into the shadows and waited for Professor Pravus to leave then he ran as fast as he could to the Gryffindor common room. 


End file.
